Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 171

The Exposition of Nṛsiṁha Worship-Mantras, Nyāsa, Mudrās, Yantras, Kavaca, and Nṛsiṁha Gāyatrī

Devanagari script

दानवेन्द्रा न्तकावह्निणशोणितपदं ततः । संसक्तिविग्रहान्ते तु भूतापस्मारयातुधान् ॥ १७१ ॥

Transliteration

dānavendrā ntakāvahniṇaśoṇitapadaṃ tataḥ | saṃsaktivigrahānte tu bhūtāpasmārayātudhān || 171 ||

Translation

ನಂತರ ‘ದಾನವೇಂದ್ರಾಂತಕ’ ಅಗ್ನಿಯ ರಕ್ತಚಿಹ್ನಿತ ಪಥವೆಂದು ತಿಳಿಯಬೇಕು. ಆಸಕ್ತಿಯಿಂದ ಅಂಟಿಕೊಂಡ ಸಂಘರ್ಷದ ಅಂತ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಇದು ಭೂತಗಳು, ಅಪಸ್ಮಾರಸಮಾನ ವ್ಯಾಧಿಗಳು ಮತ್ತು ಯಾತುಧಾನಾದಿ ವೈರಿ ಆತ್ಮಗಳನ್ನು ಸೂಚಿಸುತ್ತದೆ.

Word by Word

• दानवेन्द्र-अन्तक-अवह्निण-शोणितपदम्: the blood-footprint/mark of the slayer of the demon-lord (fire-like)
• दानवेन्द्र-अन्तक-अवह्निण-शोणितपदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव-इन्द्र + अन्तक + अवह्निन् + शोणित + पद (प्रातिपदिक; बहुपद-समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष-श्रृङ्खला (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषप्रधानः: ‘दानवेन्द्रस्य अन्तकस्य अवह्निनः शोणितपदम्’ इत्यर्थसम्भवः)

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; ‘thereafter/from that’

• संसक्ति-विग्रह-अन्ते: at the end of the (word) ‘saṃsakti-vigraha’
• संसक्ति-विग्रह-अन्ते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसक्ति + विग्रह + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘विग्रहस्य अन्ते’ + संसक्ति-विशेषण/पूर्वपद)

• तु: indeed; but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक-निपात (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• भूत-अपस्मार-यातुधान्: bhūtas, epilepsy-demons, and yātudhānas (fiends)
• भूत-अपस्मार-यातुधान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत + अपस्मार + यातुधान (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्वः (इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः: भूताः च अपस्माराः च यातुधानाः च)

Speaker

Narada (in dialogue context, reporting/teaching to the Sanatkumara tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Characters & Entities

• Dānava
• Dānavendra
• Antaka
• Vahni
• Bhūta
• Apasmāra
• Yātudhāna

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It functions like a technical gloss: the verse assigns specific referents to dense compounds, linking destructive forces (fire/death imagery) and subtle afflictions (bhūta, apasmāra, yātudhāna), reminding the reader that unseen influences are also addressed within dharmic-ritual knowledge.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

Indirectly: by identifying hostile and obstructive forces, it supports the bhakti framework where protection and purification are sought through dharma, mantra, and devotion—clearing impediments that disturb steadiness of mind in worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Vedāṅga-style semantic analysis (nirukta/lexical explanation) of compounded words—showing how technical interpretation assigns contextual meanings to terms that can denote both physical phenomena (blood, fire, track) and subtle entities/afflictions.